In an existing wireless communication system, such as Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) system and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system, it is often necessary to provide different quality of service assurances for different users or for individual service flows of the user so as to provide differentiated services to users.
With the development of wireless communication technologies, the World Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax) system is becoming a new wireless broadband access technology drawing great attention in wireless communication systems. The WiMax system primarily includes an Access Service Network (ASN), a Connectivity Service Network (CSN) and a Mobile Subscriber Station (MSS). The ASN is a set of network functions that provide radio access to a WiMax subscriber. The ASN includes network elements such as Base Station (BS) and ASN GateWay (ASN GW). One ASN may be shared by multiple CSNs. The CSN is configured to provide Internet Protocol (IP) connectivity services to WiMax subscribers. The CSN may include an Authentication Authorization Accounting Server (AAA Server) function.
The same as in the WCDMA system and the CDMA system, in the WiMax system, it is necessary to provide the users with respective QoS assurances. In the existing WiMax system, only part of air interface information is defined while end-to-end QoS parameters and processes over the whole WiMax access network have not yet been defined. In other words, there is no QoS parameter defined for WiMax and no corresponding processing procedure is provided.
Therefore, it is impossible to provide different QoS assurances for different users in the existing WiMax system, i.e. it is impossible to provide different levels of QoS for users or for individual service flows of the user.